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Dax Shepard to Develop and Star in CHiPS Movie

Officers Jon and Ponch better get their aviator sunglasses out of storage because they’re coming back to life on the big screen. Actor and comedian Dax Shepard will be writing, directing, and starring in an upcoming big-screen remake of CHiPS, the popular television series from the late 70’s and early 80’s. CHiPS followed the daily beats of two state motorcycle patrolmen as they patrolled the freeway system in and around Los Angeles. “CHiPS” stood for California Highway Patrol and the show circled around Officer Jon Baker, the straight-laced, serious officer and Frank “Ponch” Poncherello, the more free-wheeling, jokester of the duo.

CHiPS ran from 1977 to 1983, running for 139 episodes over the course of six seasons. Shepard is on board to star as Officer Jon Baker (originally portrayed by Larry Wilcox) with Michael Pena in the role of Frank Poncherello (originally portrayed by Erik Estrada). According to Deadline, who first reported the news of the remake, the plan is to offer a more serious take on the original series. The series was considered a lightweight action crime drama, with elements of comedy in every episode.

The husband of Kristen Bell, Shepard is perhaps most well-known for his long-running role on NBC’s Parenthood. The 39-year old actor is also in the upcoming movie This Is Where I Leave You, which has a star-studded cast, including Jane Fonda, Tina Fey, and Jason Bateman.

It will be interesting to see if the CHiPS movie has any over-the-top freeway pileups, which occurred in almost every CHiPS episode and were a signature of the show.